Investigating Biology in the Poisson Limit at the Nanoscale

The Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is a premier nanoscience research center offering scientists from around the world access to specialized expertise and cutting-edge instrumentation for the design, synthesis, and analysis of nanoscale materials. Our work bridges the Nanofab, Bio, Imaging and NCEM facilities in order to break ground on capabilities to investigate the fundamental quantum mechanical characteristics of biologically derived and living materials. Our research involves nanofabricating sensors incorporating plasmonic antennae and tunnel junctions integrated with nanofluidic channels. By leveraging Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), we refine the geometry and material composition of plasmonic antennae to optimize their response. These antennae are also coupled to fluidic channels within a liquid cell TEM chip, allowing us to assess plasmonic performance as various liquids flow through the system. Additionally, we explore interactions between bacteria and bacteriophages, along with other biological substrates and macromolecules, within the countably small regime, advancing our understanding of their fundamental interactions and dynamics.